If You Want to Design A Power Module, What Aspects Need to Be Considered?

If you are a switching power supply technical engineer, you don’t need to read the introduction of the power module. When you are still a novice, or learning microcontroller design, it is best to look down word by word.

The benefits of choosing a power module

At present, different distributors have released a variety of different power modules in the sales market, but the working voltage, power, function and topology of different products are not the same.

Fig.1

Choosing a power module saves development design time and enables a quick time-to-market, so a power module is preferred over an integrated solution.

1. Each control module can be tested rigorously in various aspects to ensure that its aspect ratio is reliable, mainly including plug-in testing, which is convenient for rejecting unqualified products.

In contrast, integrated solutions are more difficult to detect because all power distribution systems are closely related to other system software on the power supply circuit.

2. Different dealers can design control modules of the same size according to the current standard specifications, providing different choices for technical engineers designing DC switching power supplies.

3. The design scheme and test of each control module are carried out in accordance with the requirements of the specification characteristics, which is conducive to reducing the risk of new technology application.

4. If an integrated solution is adopted, if there is a problem with the software of the switching power supply system, the entire motherboard must be disassembled and replaced; if the control module design scheme is selected, the difficult control module can be removed and replaced, which is conducive to reducing costs and development design time.

Fig.2

Power module design issues that are easily overlooked

While there are several advantages to choosing a control module design, an on-board DC/DC converter design such as the control module design is itself a problem that many people don’t understand or pay enough attention to.

Some of these difficulties include: accurate measurement of output noise; magnetic field system software design; thermal breakdown issues of isometric blood pressure converters; printed PCB board reputation.

Magnetic Design

The reliability of the core is another issue that is often overlooked by others. Most output inductor coils are made of copper powder, which is the lowest cost raw material. About 96% of the copper core is pure iron.

The copper particles are bonded together using an organic chemical binder, which also separates each copper particle to fill the permeability of the interior space inside and outside the core.